He enjoys the mornings and bathes in the pond. This is the source of a strength never before experienced, and Thoreau realizes that it is awakening new feelings and emotions. The beginning of the day is not only this, but actually the beginning of a new life for Thoreau. He criticizes society for the life it leads, which is "mean, like that of ants". He does not hide his disappointment when he says that modern life “is wasted on details”. The new experiences at the pond push Thoreau to advocate for a new kind of life that is more like a joyful celebration of nature and life itself. In Walden the reader is able to discern how Thoreau uses nature and aspects of life in his own process of discovery and personal growth. He understands that all creation exists to contribute to man's quest for perfection and self-discovery. Thoreau states that nature is nothing other than the inexhaustible source of physical and spiritual rebirth and reinvigoration for man. Everything in nature has spiritual value, full of symbols of